


The brave one

by TheIceQueen



Category: Pentatonix, Superfruit
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Assault, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Broken Bones, Crying, Doctors & Physicians, Fear, Holding Hands, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Medical, Medical Examination, Men Crying, Pain, Protectiveness, Recovery, Scomiche, Sobbing, Spooning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 16:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14524887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIceQueen/pseuds/TheIceQueen
Summary: Scott finds Mitch, beaten, in pain and not able to tell what had happened.





	The brave one

Scott were out of breath. He was almost running down the street and now it was getting difficult to see the screen on his phone because his hands were shaking.

“Mitch, dammit. Pick up.”

Mitch had texted him that he had bought take out and would be home in ten minutes. That was half an hour ago. Scott had waited too long already, but he didn’t know where Mitch was walking from. He was probably overreacting anyway. He tried the number again and it kept ringing till it went to voicemail and he hung up. He’d already left him four before even leaving the apartment.

Scott had decided to walk to the Thai place where they almost always ordered from. Mitch hadn’t specified what he’d bought, but it was about ten minutes from home. Scott was almost there in five.

A thousand thoughts, imagining what could have happened were tumbling around in his heard. Mitch would always text if he’d had a change of plans, but what worried Scott the most was that Mitch’s phone wasn’t dead, he wouldn’t let it ring for so long, not that many times.

He tried the phone again and it kept ringing. Scott was about to hang up before he heard music playing. He stopped in his tracks. It was difficult to hear, mostly because of his breathing being so loud. It stopped and for a second Scott thought he was losing it and was starting to hear things that wasn’t real, then he put the phone to his ear and realized it had gone to voicemail again. He hung up and tried again. Sure, it was low and almost not there, but he recognized Mitch’s ringtone.

He followed the sound away from the street, passed some dumpsters and into a small backyard behind the apartments and stores. The phone was definitely in here somewhere, but it was late, and Scott’s eyes hadn’t gotten used to the sparse light compared to the well-lit street he’d just come from.

“Mitch? Babe are you back here?”

The music stopped again, and the place fell quiet. Scott’s shaking hands fumbled with his phone to call it again. This was wrong in every way. Why would Mitch be here? Why wasn’t he answering his phone or when Scott called out? If his phone was here and not Mitch, then what? Scott noticed a weak white light turning on in the corner and then the ringtone started.

“Mitch?!”

He was on his side with his back turned to Scott. With the dark clothes Scott hadn’t seen him. His eyes were getting used to the yard’s small lights and he was sure it was a person. His hart skipped a couple of beats. He’d know those shoes anywhere.

Almost dropping his phone and tripping over a planer box, he ran to him and kneeled on the ground behind him.

“Mitch? Oh God. Please be awake.”

Scott put a light hand on the small man’s shoulder and pulled back the oversized hood to see his boyfriend’s face. The big man’s heart landed hard in is gut. The first he noticed was blood. Mitch’s eyebrow was cracked open and the blood was almost covering the swollen eye.

The phone in Mitch’s hand was still ringing. The screen was shattered, and Mitch’s thumb were tabbing slowly on the uneven green spot.

Scott reached over and took the phone and placed his hand in Mitch’s instead.

“Hey. I’m here now. I’ll get you some help.”

Scott’s eyes were watering, and his free hand were still shaking to a point where it was almost impossible not dropping his phone.

“Scott?”

Mitch’s voice was only a whisper, but still revealed a man on the verge of tears.

“It’s me. Babe. I’m right here.”

Mitch squeezed his hand, and Scott realized that he hadn’t been breathing for a while. Mitch started to turn around to his back and Scott quickly put his hand, still holding the phone, on his back.

“Don’t move. Mitch, lie still okay?”

Mitch continued his movement and Scott could do nothing but support him from falling too hard on the concrete. The pained whimper from Mitch as he finally tried to relax again, made Scott sick to his stomach. Mitch grabbed on to Scott’s sleeve and tried to pull himself up.

“Babe, please. Lie still.”

Mitch grabbed on tighter and in the vague light, Scott saw tears running from the closed eyes and mixing with the partially dried blood.

“Please.”

Mitch’s voice cracked, he tried to kick himself closer to Scott with one leg, the other lying limp on the ground. Scott couldn’t deny that the only thing he wanted was to wrap himself around his boyfriend, and even though he probably shouldn’t be moved, Mitch was moving a lot already, and he had to calm him down.

“Okay, sweetie. I’ve got you.”

Scott sat down cross-legged and slowly pulled his trembling lover to rest his torso and head on his lap. Mitch moaned and tensed up by the excessive movement but quickly calmed down. Scott cradled his head with his arm and placed a feather-light kiss on his forehead. With Mitch slightly elevated the light were hitting his face enough for Scott to see all the harm that had come to it. The eye under the split eyebrow was dark and swollen to an extent that Scott didn’t think it was possible to open. There was a cut over his nose, but Scott couldn’t see if it was broken and a deep blue mark was covering one side of his jaw.

Scott grabbed his phone again and managed to press 911. They told him to stay on the line and to keep talking to Mitch, not like he was going to stop anyway, and ask him about his injuries so they would know where they got there. Scott put the phone on speaker.

“Mitch. Help is on the way.”

He brushed a hand through the soft dark hair. At any other time, Mitch would have bitched about him messing up his hair, but now he seemed to move a little closer to the hand.

“Can you tell me what hurts?”

“Me.”

Scott’s eyes started leaking, this was not fair, if he could only take over. Switch it all to him.

“Babe. Where does it hurt the most?”

Mitch paused for a minute. Scott whished to God that he would open his eyes soon, if only one.

“I don’t know. My leg?”

Scott looked at the limp leg, Mitch hadn’t tried to move it.

_Is his leg bleeding? Is he bleeding from anywhere?_

Scott had almost forgotten about the, all too calm man, on the phone.

“No just his face… I think.”

Scott looked over Mitch’s small frame and pulled up his shirt. Mitch shivered and whimpered loudly, from the sudden touch of cold evening air on his belly and chest.

“He has bruises all over, but he’s not bleeding.”

Scott realized that he could be bleeding internally and that he had no idea how that would look. He covered Mitch up again.

“Sweetheart. Can you look at me?”

Mitch squeezed a bit tighter on Scott’s sleeve, but he still didn’t turn his head or even try to open his eyes.

_The ambulance is under five minutes away. I his breathing still the same?_

“Yeah. Still a bit fast and kind shallow.”

_Is he awake and aware of what’s happening?_

The grip Mitch had on him and the small head movements when ever he brushed his hand through his hair, reassured that Mitch was awake, even with closed eyes, but was he here in his mind? Did he fully register what was happening?

“Babe. What happened to you?”

Scott waited for what seemed like forever before Mitch let out a new string of tears. When he still didn’t answer, Scott tried again.

“Mitch?”

“I… They…”

Mitch tried pulling himself even further on to Scott’s lap, but stopped with a pained moan.

“Shh. Baby. It’s okay, I’m here.”

Scott cradled Mitch’s head and took a hold of his hand, making him squeeze that instead of his sleeve.

“Scotty… it hurts.”

“I know. Help is coming. Just lie still now.”

A tear slipped from Scott’s eye while he wondered how long five minutes could feel like. Then he heard the sirens and soon after, two men came through the alley with a stretcher.

“Here!”

Scott must have startled Mitch, because his grip on his hand tightened significantly.

“It’s almost over Babe. Help is here.”

A middle-aged man kneeled down next to them and talked to Mitch.

“I’m Shawn. What’s your name?”

Mitch turned his face to look at Scott’s for the first time, but the frightened look in his one open eye didn’t make the bigger guy feel at ease. Scott smiled down at him and squeezed his hand. Not braking eye-contact with his boyfriend, he talked to the medic.

“I’m Scott. This is Mitch.”

“Hi Mitch. I see you’re in pain. We’re going to help you with that. Can I just take a look under your shirt?”

Mitch’s breathing sped up and instinctively, Scott bend down to kiss him light on the lips.

“It’s okay. He’s going to help.”

There was no movement in Mitch’s face, no reaction except the fear in his eye, glazed over with salty water. Scott squeezed tighter on Mitch’s hand and tried his best to send him an encouraging smile.

“I’m staying right here. I’ve got you.”

Mitch’s nod was so timid that only Scott could have seen it. Scott nodded at the paramedic and then turned his full attention back to the confused face looking up at him. Mitch had to just be confused, he wasn’t scared, that’s for sure. Mitch may look small and like he was the timid one, but Scott hand never known a person as brave as his boyfriend. And he knew for a fact, that the whole medical thing wasn’t an issue. Mitch was the one holding _his_ hand when he had to get a flu-shot.

“You most likely have some bruised and maybe broken ribs there, but so far nothing to worry about. Let’s get you some oxygen and something for the pain.”

The other, younger, guy came over with a lot of stuff Scott didn’t pay much attention to. Mitch turned his head away when the oxygen mask came close to his face. Scott’s eyes quickly met with the paramedic’s and he took the mask from him.

“Shh. I’ll hold it. It will make you feel better.”

Mitch seemed to relax just a little and he let Scott hold the mask to his nose and mouth, being careful not to touch the nose too much.

“Mitch. I’m going to start an IV on your hand, so we can help you with the pain.”

The older medic took Mitch’s hand and to Scott’s surprise Mitch let him, but the look in his eye was horror. His breathing sped up again, even with the clear relief the oxygen had given him, and his entire body got even more rigid. The paramedic noticed and looked at Scott. Scott nodded at him to go on, everything would get better when Mitch wasn’t in so much pain. As the needle went in Mitch started crying in small and turned his head towards Scott’s stomach. He didn’t pull his hand back, so it wasn’t from pain. Scott figured that it all just became too much.

Scott held tight in Mitch’s free hand and massaged his scalp lightly with the other hand, making an even bigger mess of his hair.

“It’s okay, baby. You’ll feel better soon.”

Mitch accepted Scott still holding the mask, and the tape fastening the IV. He even accepted the paramedics cutting open his pantleg and securing his knee in a splint, but he cried all the way though. Scott could do noting than to hold him and the mask, and hope that he would calm down soon. He felt him relax his body and his breathing was going a bit slower and definitely deeper. Scott thanked God that the painkillers were working.

“Mitch. We’re going to move you to the stretcher now. We’ll be able to monitor you better in the ambulance.”

Mitch only response was the pleading look on his face when he suddenly silenced and looked up at Scott.

“I’m staying with you. Don’t worry about a thing.”

Scott didn’t let go of his boyfriend’s hand, not that he could either way, Mitch was surprisingly strong. Mitch didn’t let Scott out of his sight, and still had him locked tight in eye-contact when he was seated next to him in the ambulance.

* * *

The ride was quiet, the only talk was the small information’s about where the paramedic would place a new monitoring thing on him, and Scott telling him to relax and that everything would be fine.

Scott didn’t think Mitch noticed anything other than the two of them staying together when they entered the hospital. It couldn’t have been too serious, because they were taken straight to a room where they were left alone, while the older paramedic talked to a doctor outside.

When the doctor and a nurse came in two minutes later, Scott was standing next to the bed, holding Mitch’s hand in both of his. Mitch still didn’t look at anything but Scott.

The doctor looked at a clipboard and handed it to the nurse who snapped the pen lose, ready to write.

“Hi, Mitch. I’m Dr. Mills. Can you tell me what happened to you?”

Mitch wasn’t talking, and Scott whished that he knew so he could just take over for him, but that wasn’t an option. He brushed his thumb over the back of Mitch’s hand.

“Mitch, Sweetheart. Tell us what happened.”

Mitch stole a quick look at the doctor and then back to Scott. With only oxygen under his nose and the mask gone, Scott could see him biting his lover lip.

“I…”

He bit his lip again. Scott smiled encouragingly and brushed one hand up and down Mitch’s forearm. Mitch nodded and started taking again.

“They hit me and… kicked me.” Mitch’s voice cracked from trying to come out through the small gasps for air and sobs. “It happened so fast, they pulled me from the street.”

Scot was speechless. He’d figured it was something like that but to have it confirmed was like finding Mitch motionless all over again. The doctor came a bit closer and for the first time Mitch didn’t seem startled by strangers.

“I need to know if they used anything to his you with and if you were unconscious at any time.”

Mitch shook his head, this time looking at the older man in the white coat.

“No, just kicking. When I stopped screaming they took my wallet and ran off. I didn’t pass out.”

“How is your pain now? We can give you more medication if you need it.”

Mitch nodded, and Scott sensed a relieved look on his face when the nurse pressed something into the IV line. He lifted up his hand and kissed his knuckles, happy that Mitch were communicating properly again.

 “Everything so far tells me that you don’t have any injuries that need immediate care, but I do need to examine your abdomen to make sure you’re not bleeding internally.”

The doctor turned and put on gloves. Scott felt Mitch’s hand shaking in his. He bend down and kissed his forehead he lingered over Mitch’s face, with their noses almost touching and looked him in the eye. Scott didn’t speak, he didn’t need to. He nodded almost none visible, but Mitch got it and nodded too. It was okay. Scott would be there, and Mitch knew that.

The nurse brought over a chair for Scott, which he accepted thankfully.

The doctor lifted up Mitch’s shirt and studied the bruises for a moment before he placed a flat hand slowly right over Mitch’s bellybutton. Mitch gasped, but quickly calmed down.

“Tell me if it hurts, okay.”

Mitch nodded and laid back, face against the ceiling and closed his eye, and clearly tried to control his nervous breathing while the doctor worked. The hands moved slowly over the skin and once in a while, pressing down deep into the soft parts of Mitch’s belly. Scott studied every movement on Mitch’s face, to make sure he wasn’t hiding any pain.

Mitch gasped loudly, grabbed tight on the mattress with his free hand and almost pulling Scott of the chair with the other.

“Mitch!”

Scott leaned in to Mitch’s line of sight and watched him slowly stop panting.

“I’m okay.”

Mitch was still breathless, so Scot had a tough time believing that.

“Sorry about that. You are quite bruised up, but nothing seriously so far. Let me just finish this side. I’ll be careful.”

To Scott’s surprise, Mitch agreed and rested his head back again. The next few seconds, Mitch held his breath, in anticipation of pain to hit, but it didn’t.

The doctor discarded of the gloves and took his stethoscope from hanging around his neck.

“Can you sit up for me?”

The nurse and Scott helped Mitch sit up, gasping for air and wheezing from the added pain, he held himself up by holding Scott’s forearm tight across his chest. The doctor listed to his lungs and sent Scott a confident smile.

When Mitch were safely back down the doctor put on gloves again. Mitch looked at Scott with new tears in his eye. Scott knew Mitch was reaching the end of the line. He couldn’t deal with more right now.

“Last thing Mitch, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

Scott moved Mitch’s hair from his face and brushed his hand slowly through it over the top of his head. The doctor came over.

“Look at me for a second.”

Mitch took his sweet time getting his breathing in order and sucking the water back in his eye before looking at him. The doctor didn’t seem to mind, and Scott was grateful that he didn’t rush his trembling boyfriend.

“It doesn’t look like your nose is broken but I need to make sure. I’ll be careful okay?”

Mitch grabbed on to Scott’s hand with both of his as the doctor slowly put his hands on either side of Mitch’s face.

“Hold on for a second.”

The doctor smiled and carefully moved the tip of both thumbs down either side of his nose. Mitch held his breath but didn’t show any sign of more pain.

“Okay. Everything seems just fine. But we need you to stay over night for observation and we’ll need to get your ribs and leg x-rayed. Nurse Strand will help you get cleaned up first.”

Dr. Mills left the room and nodded at the nurse who rolled over a small table with a bowl of water and some towels and a few small bottles.

Scott kissed Mitch’s hand again and made him look him in the eyes, away from the nurse.

“You’re doing good. I’m impressed.”

They shared a smile for a second before the nurse announced that she was going to clean Mitch’s face and take a closer look at the cuts.

Mitch had gotten quite a few white strips to decorate his face, but thankfully he didn’t need stitches. He seemed to relax the more his face were cleaned for blood and Scott was the one who had a hard time letting go of Mitch’s hand when the nurse helped him change into a hospital garment. Scott had promised Mitch that he wouldn’t leave, and he was going to keep that promise. Mitch was doing better, but once in a while Scott noticed that hint of fear or panic darkening Mitch’s face again.

On the way to the x-ray room Scott stayed next to his boyfriend and held his hand tight. When the technician asked him to wait outside, he saw that hint of fear on Mitch and he held on tighter.

“No. I’m going with him.”

The technician smiled kindly and started to move the bed.

“You have to stay here, it will only be a few minutes.”

“It’s okay Scotty. I’ll be fine.”

Mitch pulled Scott’s arm and smiled at him. He looked okay now, like he had accepted it. Scott hadn’t though. He wasn’t going to let them get separated, not even for a few minutes.

“I’m going in. You can’t stop me.”

Scott wasn’t trying to be threatening, but his tall being and his suddenly loud voice, clearly startled the smaller man between him and the door.

“I’m sorry. You’re not allowed.”

The man sounded genuinely sorry, and Scott lowered his voice. However, all of them knew he meant every word.

“Will I screw up the pictures if I’m in there?”

The man shook his head.

“No, but…”

“And I’m not pregnant, so let’s go.”

The technician had no choice than to let him in or to call security, and to Scott’s, and what seemed like Mitch’s surprise too, he decided against the guards.

Scott had stayed quiet, watching and smiling reassuringly at Mitch as his boyfriend silently went along with moving as he was asked.

As they move through the door, Mitch looked at the technician.

“Sorry.”

“It’s all good. Take care.”

The man smiled and looked up at Scott.

“Yeah, sorry man.”

The man nodded at him and let the orderly wheel the bed away. Mitch grabbed Scott’s arm and made him stay close.

“Thanks.”

Scott smiled at the still fearful boy on the bed.

“Sure. I’m here.”

* * *

Mitch’s leg were broken but the knee looked fine. There had been someone in to cast it soon after they got settled in the room where Mitch was going to spend the night. His ribs was going to heal on their own. He just needed to rest now.

Mitch had been in and out of sleep for an hour or so when he started breathing strained again. Scott lifted his head from the side of the bed and looked up at him.

“You okay? What’s wrong?”

Mitch took another breath, not deep enough to count but big enough to make his face tense in pain.

“It hurts.”

Scott pulled the red string hanging from the wall.

“Hang in there. They’ll fix it.”

Nurse Strand didn’t get far into the room before Scott spoke.

“He’s hurting again.”

The nurse nodded and turned around.

“Just a second Babe, she’s coming.”

Shortly after, the painkillers were in Mitch’s system and he was able to relax again. The nurse looked at Scott.

“Are you staying the night? I’m not sure I can find a bed.”

Scott nodded.

“It’s okay I’m good.”

She left the room, but not before telling them both not to hesitate to pull that string again if they needed something.

“You should go home. You can’t sit there all night.”

“Watch me.”

Scott kissed Mitch’s forehead and sat back down grabbing his hand again. Mitch moved a little in the bed, letting out a small pained moan as he did so.

“What? Rest now, okay?”

“No. Come here.”

Mitch padded the small space on the mattress next to him. Scott didn’t think he was going to fit, and it might not be good to lie so close right now.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

Mitch smiled and lifted his arm to make room for Scott to lay there.

“You won’t. I can’t sleep if you’re not here.”

He padded the mattress again and Scott sighed and slowly got into bed with Mitch. He was afraid to lie too close and to hold him, but Mitch pushed him on the back to indicate that he should come closer. Scott lifted himself with his elbow and looked Mitch in the eye. The black eye still not opening made Scott sad, but Mitch smiled and lifted his head into a kiss. Scott kissed back, slowly and warm. When they let go, Mitch found Scott’s eyes again.

“I love you.”

Scott’s throat tightened, and his eyes started burning. He laid down spooning Mitch’s side, with his head on the smaller man’s shoulder. Mitch moved Scott’s arm from lying awkwardly down his own body to rest on Mitch’s chest.

“It’s okay here, just don’t move it down.”

Scott held on to Mitch’s hand and felt the heartbeat under it. Tears ran freely from his eyes.

“I love you too.”


End file.
